Since we have a number of shrimp and pasta recipes, it seemed like a good idea to spend a minute on what you might consider a mundane topic; pasta water.

After trial and error, this is the way I prefer it. After all,why should all of the other ingredients get all of the love when pasta is often well more than half of the volume on the plate?

Anyway…here goes. As always, you decide.

Preparing the water for cooking pasta

• I like salty pasta water…as in “tastes like the ocean.”

• Add roughly 1/8th cup of sea salt or kosher salt dissolved in about 4 quarts boiling water. (You might like a little more.)

• To take the water preparation one step further — you can leave this out if you want, but I love it — squeeze half of a fresh lemon and drop the lemon half in the water. Adds amazing freshness to the flavor of the pasta.

Mario Batali does not like oil added to his pasta water. Neither do I. You like oil in your pasta water? By all means, knock yourself out!  Add as much oil as you’d like.

Oil And Pasta

For a tasty, simple lite meal, I highly recommend a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of black pepper on a small plate of warm pasta. (Add a serving of spinach and you are set.)  That is the way I prefer to add oil to my pasta, in case that question was keeping you awake nights.